Vancouver bars boycott Russian vodka after anti-gay law passed

Several bars and pubs in city's West End pull alcohol brands from shelves

Several bars and pubs in Vancouver’s West End have either pulled all the Russian vodka off their menus or are planning to after the popular Fountainhead pub on Davie Street began a boycott Tuesday to protest a new anti-gay law in Russia.

Photograph by: Ric Ernst
, VANCOUVER SUN

Vancouver’s Pride week is just around the corner, and that means thousands of revellers will be spilling out of bars and clubs.

But there’s one libation they likely won’t be spending money on: Russian vodka.

Several bars and pubs in Vancouver’s West End have either pulled all the Russian vodka off their menus or are planning to after the popular Fountainhead pub on Davie Street began a boycott Tuesday to protest a new anti-gay law in Russia.

“This (boycott) is just one little drop in the bucket,” said Andrew Watling, manager of the Fountainhead Pub in Vancouver’s predominantly gay community of Davie Village, noting that the response has been overwhelming. “But by doing this we are drawing a lot of attention to this issue. It’s really about starting a conversation, and educating people.”

The Russian law, passed last month, bans the “promotion of homosexuality” and is seen as a major step backwards for gay and human rights — especially in Vancouver, whose Pride House during the 2010 Winter Olympics broke new ground.

Watling said on Friday that he has heard from at least six or seven pubs and bars in the area, all of which are planning to pull Russian vodka from the shelves. Nearby Celebrities nightclub is another that won’t be selling Russian vodka.

Boycotts are also underway at drinking establishments in other North American cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles.

Watling said the Fountainhead Pub has removed three types of vodka: Stolichnaya, Stolichnaya Blueberry and Russian Standard. He added that there are still plenty of vodka choices available for customers to choose from, such as Absolut or Grey Goose.

Watling was so disgusted when he read about Russia’s bill that “his stomach turned,” he said, especially when he saw the images of people being arrested by Russian police. Under the new laws, members of the LGBTQ community are restricted from being openly gay and same-sex couples are forbidden to adopt babies.

He said he hoped by removing the vodka it would help customers think about where the money they were spending on drinks was going, and to help members of Vancouver’s LGBTQ community stand together with their counterparts who are being persecuted in Russia.

The new Russian law means there will be no Pride House in Sochi for the upcoming 2014 Games. London had a Pride House in 2012, but the International Olympic Committee has not taken a stance on the matter and will not force Sochi to have one.

Dara Parker, executive director of Qmunity, which hosted Pride House Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics, said that’s too bad, but she’s not surprised because most countries are not as progressive as Canada and the U.K. when it comes to gay rights.

“It’s not surprising, but incredibly disappointing, and especially because it is a direct contravention of the Olympic ideals,” Parker said of Russia’s new law.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is also speaking out against Russia’s new anti-gay law.

He said in a Friday statement: “It is my firm belief that the Olympic and Paralympic Games should be fully and unequivocally open to all athletes, officials, spectators and journalists who are able to participate, regardless of their nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. It is clear to me that the Russian parliament’s homophobic assault on the fundamental human rights of the LGBTQ community will prevent many of these individuals from safely and openly participating in Sochi.”

Despite banning South Africa from the Games from 1964 to 1991 over the government policy of apartheid, the IOC has not weighed in on the controversy.

“We aren’t responsible for the running of or setting up of Houses,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams has said. “That is done by the [National Olympic Committees] or other relevant organizations. So in this case it isn’t a decision of either us, or the organizing committee in Sochi. From our side, the IOC is an open organization and athletes of all orientations will be welcome at the Games.”

Several bars and pubs in Vancouver’s West End have either pulled all the Russian vodka off their menus or are planning to after the popular Fountainhead pub on Davie Street began a boycott Tuesday to protest a new anti-gay law in Russia.

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